Nick Sakiewicz
Encyclopedia
Nick Sakiewicz is a former soccer goalkeeper
and current soccer executive. He is currently the CEO and Operating Partner of Keystone Sports & Entertainment, LLC, the ownership group of the Philadelphia Union. He played in the Major Indoor Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League
and coached at the youth and college levels. He was the president of both the Tampa Bay Mutiny
and the MetroStars
.
where he played on the school's NCAA Division II soccer team from 1979 to 1982. He was a 1981, 1982 and 1983 All New England and 1982 Division II Second Team All American goalkeeper. After graduating from New Haven, he moved to Europe where he claims to have joined FC Nantes as a developmental player, though Nantes has no official record of him playing there. He also allegedly spent a short time with Belenenses of Portugal in 1984. He returned to the United States and played two games for the New York Arrows
of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 1983-1984 season. He spent an extended hiatus from the professional game after a serious leg injury and pursued business opportunities, continuing with the game by coaching and playing at the amateur level. In 1990, he returned to the professional game for one season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Professional Soccer League
.
. In October 1996, he became the President of the Tampa Bay Mutiny
. In 1999 he was named MLS Executive of the Year after three seasons with the Mutiny, before leaving to become President of the MetroStars
. With the MetroStars
he was named MLS Executive of the Year for a second time in 2000, after the team finished atop the Eastern Division in the regular season. Over five seasons the MetroStars appeared in the 2003 U.S. Open Cup final and qualified for the MLS playoffs four times, but only won one playoff series. The team improved their sponsorship revenue and local broadcasting contracts under his management, but Sakiewicz was openly disliked by local fans due to his failure to appeal to "hardcore" soccer fans and his unfulfilled promises on the construction of the club's own soccer-specific stadium
.
During the 2005 season, Sakiewicz was promoted to President of AEG New York, LLC, where he oversaw the sale of the MetroStars to Red Bull
in 2006. In November 2007 he left AEG to become the CEO of the ownership group of Philadelphia Union. In February 2008, Philadelphia was announced as the 16th MLS franchise. The Union broke ground on PPL Park in December of 2008, and played their first MLS season in 2010.
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
and current soccer executive. He is currently the CEO and Operating Partner of Keystone Sports & Entertainment, LLC, the ownership group of the Philadelphia Union. He played in the Major Indoor Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
and coached at the youth and college levels. He was the president of both the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
and the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
.
Player
Sakiewicz, the son of a Ukrainian immigrant father and a Polish immigrant mother, attended the University of New HavenUniversity of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
where he played on the school's NCAA Division II soccer team from 1979 to 1982. He was a 1981, 1982 and 1983 All New England and 1982 Division II Second Team All American goalkeeper. After graduating from New Haven, he moved to Europe where he claims to have joined FC Nantes as a developmental player, though Nantes has no official record of him playing there. He also allegedly spent a short time with Belenenses of Portugal in 1984. He returned to the United States and played two games for the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 1983-1984 season. He spent an extended hiatus from the professional game after a serious leg injury and pursued business opportunities, continuing with the game by coaching and playing at the amateur level. In 1990, he returned to the professional game for one season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
.
Coach
Following his retirement as a player, Sakiewicz coached youth soccer in Florida and was an assistant coach with the College of Boca Raton.Management
In the late 1980s, Sakiewicz was a co-owner of the South Florida based Ezell-Titterton Inc. In 1995 and early 1996, Sakiewicz worked as an executive at Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. In October 1996, he became the President of the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
. In 1999 he was named MLS Executive of the Year after three seasons with the Mutiny, before leaving to become President of the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
. With the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
he was named MLS Executive of the Year for a second time in 2000, after the team finished atop the Eastern Division in the regular season. Over five seasons the MetroStars appeared in the 2003 U.S. Open Cup final and qualified for the MLS playoffs four times, but only won one playoff series. The team improved their sponsorship revenue and local broadcasting contracts under his management, but Sakiewicz was openly disliked by local fans due to his failure to appeal to "hardcore" soccer fans and his unfulfilled promises on the construction of the club's own soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
.
During the 2005 season, Sakiewicz was promoted to President of AEG New York, LLC, where he oversaw the sale of the MetroStars to Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
in 2006. In November 2007 he left AEG to become the CEO of the ownership group of Philadelphia Union. In February 2008, Philadelphia was announced as the 16th MLS franchise. The Union broke ground on PPL Park in December of 2008, and played their first MLS season in 2010.